To date, most providers of high speed Internet provisioning systems connect a local area network (LAN) to the Internet through an on-site or local Internet provisioning server. This local provisioning server provisions, authenticates and provides a billing interface for Internet service. On the internal side of the LAN, the LAN site must offer some means of connecting the internal network traffic and routing it through a central system of the LAN. The internal side of the LAN may be made up of structured wiring/switches, digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies, wireless 802.11 devices, Ethernet over coaxial cables, and other hybrid systems to provide network connectivity to the LAN users. The Internet provisioning server connects directly to a router, which acts as a local connection to the Internet.
There exists some multi-system operators (MSOs) offering high-speed Internet services through their internal networks. For example, some cable TV service providers offer high-speed Internet services through their cable modem networks for cable TV services. A cable modem network is a network of cable modems. A cable modem allows a user computer to connect with the Internet through the cable modem network.
A nomadic user computer is often pre-configured to connect with a company network or other network which is foreign to the internal network of a multi-system operator. Thus, the user computer cannot operate on the internal network as it is.
For example, in a conventional cable modem network, a user computer that is configured to a foreign network cannot operate on the cable modem network. The user needs to modify the network configuration settings of the user computer to match those of the cable modem network. Adding a new user computer to the cable modem network usually involves system configuration changes and assistance from a technical support resource.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a new system and method, which allows users to receive Internet services through an internal network of a multi-system operator, such as cable modem network, while maintaining their computers'pre-configured network settings for a foreign network.